The Council of Fashion Designers America Awards has just wrapped at the Lincoln Centre in New York in a celebration of the rising stars of American fashion and a peoples choice nod for an American fashion legend. The awards recognize the outstanding contributions made by individuals to American fashion. To announce the nominees this year the CFDA decided to do away with models and have Craig McDean shoot the designers in their own creations, resulting in a crossdressing Jason Wu in a sheer chiffon gown and black suit, Marc Jacobs in his infamous Louis Vuitton bunny ears, and a raunchy shot of Alexander Wang in a chest-revealing torn up black tee.

Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy took out the Womenswear Designer of the Year title ahead of industry veterans Narcisco Rodrigeuz and Marc Jacobs for Marc Jacobs. An impressive feat considering only last year the sisters won the CFDA award for emerging talent and it was only three years ago that they began making clothes together in their loungeroom. Rodarte fan Kirsten Dunst showed her support posing on the red carpet with the girls in a structured marble leather weaved creation from their Fall 09 RTW collection.

Alexander Wang added to last years CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund win by nabbing the Swarovski Award for Womenswear ahead of Jason Wu and Anna Wintour favourite Thakoon Panichgul. Wang looked cute with his take on the evening suit, swapping dress pants for black shorts for a more relaxed look.

New York design pair Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough of Proenza Scholeur were awarded Accessory Designer of the Year for their modern, sexy collection of shoes, handbags, sunglasses, gloves and belts. Extra kudos to McCollough for his win over nominee Marc Jacobs, who McCollough once interned for whilst studying at Parsons School of Design. Vera Wang was also nominated.

Marc Jacobs didn't go home empty handed, taking out the International Award in recognition of his work for Louis Vuitton.

The Menswear Designer of the Year was jointly awarded to Italo Zucchelli for Calvin Klein and Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders.

A particularly pale-faced Jack White presented Anna Sui with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Dressed in a sparkly checked brown suit White expressed his admiration for Sui's style for being timely rather than trendy.

This year saw the introduction of the Popular Vote Award, with 16,000 online voters naming Ralph Lauren as their favourite American designer. Lauren, the only designer to receive the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s four highest honors (the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Womenswear Designer of the Year Award, the Menswear Designer of the Year Award and the Retailer of the Year Award) can now add Mr Popularity to the list.

Also honoured at the event was Michelle Obama in a Special Tribute to the First Lady's 'meteroic rise as a fashion icon', in a pre-recorded video speech Obama praised fashion as an American 'art form'.

Justin Timberlake appears to be building respect in fashion circles adding to his cochairing of the Costume Institute's Model as Muse gig by honouring the work of GQ Creative Director Jim Moore (we haven't all so easily forgotten Justin's 'N Sync days or the Britney Spears matchy matchy double denim disaster not so many years ago).

Red seemed to be the colour of the moment for the award attendees. Diane Kruger looked cute in a Jason Wu red mini dress with black beaded shoulders presenting the Womenswear award, presenter Tracey Ullman did well in a red Doo.Ri number, Agyness Deyn looked fairly lacklustre in gold sequins and motorcycle boots, Dutch model Doutzen Kroes looked comparibly OTT in red Zac Posen, Demi's youngest daughter Tallulah Willis looked sweet in Calvin Klein, Ashley Olsen pulled out a bold heavy shouldered red vintage number and Coco Rocha looked hot in black and red Michael Kors and dark locks.

Posted by jenna ...

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